Pinterest for Libraries

The only way you’ve not heard about Pinterest yet is if you have been totally living under a rock. Allow me to enlighten you. Pinterest is a social photo sharing website, styled like a pin-board, that lets you create and manage theme based photo collection. Not only has it become a rage with home users, it is also being used by businesses and non profits to gather visibility and let people know about them.

Interestingly, libraries too are jumping on to the Pinterest band wagon as well, to encourage visitors to use their services as well to facilitate the library experience of existing users. Here are 20 creative ways libraries around the world are using this new social platform to communicate with the common reader; twenty categories are suggested.

1. Pinning book covers
2. Reading lists
3. Attracting children and teenagers
4. Displaying archives
5. Letting people know about new acquisitions
6. Helping out in research
7. Showing off your library
8. Sharing infographics related to learning
9. Promoting library activities
10. Sharing digital collection
11. Managing reading programs
12. Sharing ideas with parents
13. Bringing focus on library staff
14. Getting new ideas for library displays
15. Collecting ideas for programs
16. Drawing attention to the local community
17. Sharing craft projects
18. Connecting to other libraries
19. Encouraging book clubs
20. Interacting with patrons

The only way you’ve not heard about Pinterest yet is if you have been totally living under a rock. Allow me to enlighten you. Pinterest is a social photo sharing website, styled like a pin-board, that lets you create and manage theme based photo collection. Not only has it become a rage with home users, it is also being used by businesses and non profits to gather visibility and let people know about them.

Interestingly, libraries too are jumping on to the Pinterest band wagon as well, to encourage visitors to use their services as well to facilitate the library experience of existing users. Here are 20 creative ways libraries around the world are using this new social platform to communicate with the common reader; twenty categories are suggested.

1. Pinning book covers
2. Reading lists
3. Attracting children and teenagers
4. Displaying archives
5. Letting people know about new acquisitions
6. Helping out in research
7. Showing off your library
8. Sharing infographics related to learning
9. Promoting library activities
10. Sharing digital collection
11. Managing reading programs
12. Sharing ideas with parents
13. Bringing focus on library staff
14. Getting new ideas for library displays
15. Collecting ideas for programs
16. Drawing attention to the local community
17. Sharing craft projects
18. Connecting to other libraries
19. Encouraging book clubs
20. Interacting with patrons

A library cannot be successful unless it has a mutually interactive relationship with its patrons. Pinterest helps libraries achieve that, by giving publicity to books, reading challenges, contest, and fun events where they can participate online.

Does your library have pinterest boards?